Capodastro



(No Model.)

L. PILSTRUP.

GAPODASTRO.

No. 402,577. Patented May 7, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IARSEY FIIJSTRI P, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAPODASTRO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,577, dated May 7, 1889. Application filed August 29, 1888; Serial No. 284,099. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LARSEN FILsTaUP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in. Uapodastros, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying sheetof drawings, is a :full, complete, and accurate specification.

My invent-ion relates to improvements upon stringed .musical instruments.

The use of a capodastro is well known to all persons versed in musical affairs and the use of musical instruments. I will therefore but briefly state the use of my invention to be to uniformly and equally tighten the strings of a guitar or other stringed instrument, and thereby raise the tone of the instrument to a higher key.

I construct my invention in form of a clamp, which may be placed upon the neck of the instrument over the strings, its eifect being to clamp the strings down to the finger board, the tone of the instrument varying, according to the position in which my invention is aiiixed, exactly as the variation of tone is produced upon the several strings by the players lingering.

In order to obtain the necessary strength and firmness, I construct the top and sides of my invention of rigid metal, and to obtain the necessary ad justabilityI fasten the same at the bottom with an elastic spring.

In order to avoid the rigid contact of metal upon the strings and to obtain as nearly as possible the same vibration and tone which results from pressure of the fingers upon the strings, I line the bar which crosses the strings with cork.

To prevent scratching the polished surface of the neck of the instrument, I insert a small metallic cushion covered with cork between the elastic spring above referred to and the lower surface of the neck, and as a means of easily attaching my invention to and detaching it from the instrument I hinge the said elastic spring to the rigid metal upon one side and latch it into a slot upon the other.

' For further description of my invention reference maybe had. to the accompanying sheet of drawings, which are hereby made a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows a transverse section of a guitar-meek with my invention latched there on. Fig. 2 shows the under surface of a guitarneck with my invention latched thereon. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a guitar-neck with a corresponding section of my invention thereon.

In the several figures like letters of reference indicate like parts.

A indicates a guitar-neck orsection thereof.

I; indicates the top bar of my invention.

Cl, indicates the elastic spring, 1 being the loose end latching into slot in metal frame, 2 an elastic coil, and 3 the end hinged to other side of metal frame.

D indicates the metallic cushion covered with cork, which engages under side of neck of instrument.

E indicates the cork lining of bar B, which comes in contact with the strings, holding them down upon finger-board.

F indicates the cork covering of cushion D.

II indicates slot in metallic frame in which end 1 of spring 0 is latched to fasten my in vention upon the neck of an instrument.

a indicates one of the strings of a guitar.

(1 indicates a metal clasp formed by extending lips on either side of cushion D, turned downward and inward to clasp spring 0 at coil 3 and hold cushion D in place.

In'Figs. 1 and are shown the exact manner!in which the strings of an instrument are by my invention held down upon the finger-board.

In Fig. 1 my invention is shown latched upon a section of an instrument-neck, and the position of spring and under cushion when unlatched. (Indicated by dotted lines.)

In Fig. 2 the shape, formation, and operation of the elastic spring C are more fully shown. I construct this spring of wire properly tempered, doubled at its center to form latch 1. Its

ends I bend to a right angle to form pivot 3, 9

and insert them in perforation in end of metal frame, (shown by dotted lines in. Fig. 2,) and midway between ends 3 3 and latch l I form several coils to obtain the necessary tension.

The combined width of the seve al coils is equal to the width of the cushion D, and admit said cushion to be clasped thereto by nieansof the lips d d, the exact manner in which said lips engage said coil being more perfectly apparent in Fig. 3.

The operation of my invention is accomplished by placing the metal frame B over the neck of an instrument, the cork lining of the top bar bearing upon the strings, the spring 0 hanging, as indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 1. The capodastro is then passed upward or downward over the finger-board to the desired position. The end 1 of "spring '0 is then;

grasped between the thumb and finger and drawn upward until cushion D "engages the Having thus described the utility, construction, and operation of my device, I claim as my invention 1. Upon a capodastro, the combination of cushion D, constructed with clasping-lips old, with spring 0, as specified and shown.

2. On a capodastro constructed substantially as above described, an elastic spring hinged to the underside, substantially in form as indicated by C, forming of itself a latch and fitting into a corresponding slot.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aifixed my signature, 'in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of July, A. D. 1888, at Chicago, aforesaid.

LARSEN FILSTRUP.

In presence -of W. KNOX HAYN-Es, A. L. FLANINGHAM. 

